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Friday, April 10, 2015

846 Olivia Street, Key West

The listing Realtor describes the house at 846 Olivia Street as:

"Unique property located on beautifully landscaped corner lot in the heart of Old
Town. Built in 1908, this original tobacco barn boasts 3 bedrooms/3 full baths.
Enter through the hand carved Brazilian mahogany door into a 20 x 30' great room
with 9 ft ceilings, crown molding and Dade County Pine. 1st floor pantry with
sink and entrances on both Olivia & Packer with large porches & plans in
place to connect the two. Fenced yard with a bricked area for bikes, scooters,
grill & 1 Off Street Parking Space. An insulated steel roof tops off the
large 2nd floor and an outdoor private balcony overlooks a lush tropical yard
with security lighting both front & back. Recently appraised above asking
price."

I looked in my old shoe box and found a photo of the property that dates back to 1965. I took a couple of exterior photos from both the Packer Street side (same as the black and white photo above) as well as the Olivia Street view. The architectural character of the old tobacco barn remain pretty much intact. The old shed-lie warp-around porch remains. The porch at adds so much genuine character to this old house that we are starting to see disappear from newer renovations that make some places all spiffy-perfect. If you look up to the top photo (and the interior photos below) you will also see this house window unit air conditioners. The windows themselves are

This home was previously used as a duplex. This owner discontinued that use and incorporated the space into the main floor living area which now quiet large. There is a bedroom and bath on the main floor just on the back side of the stairway which the current owner also replaced,The former staircase was downright scary. I mention this because if you saw this house when it was listed a few years ago, it is totally different now. It is a better home!

Google Map CLICK HERE shows the location which is across the street from the Key West cemetery. You will note the location is an easy walk to Duval Street - about five to seven minutes from this location. Most of the gyms and yoga studios are within a few minutes walk or bike ride as well. Seven Fish Restaurant is building a new building one block south at the corner of Packer and Truman. If you're a foodie; it may be your nirvana. There is a very obvious and quiet positive feature of being located across he street from the cemetery and it is not that the neighbors are quiet. They are, but that's not the point. The vast open space over the cemetery bathes the nearby houses with sunshine and breezes often not possible in more congested Old Town locations.The change in skies can be amazing. You can't see the changes when you are in an area with three story houses or trees blocking your views. I personally think the views are wonderful. I took a photo from inside the front door looking across Olivia Street toward the cemetery. This will be your view. I took another photo from outside the front door looking east down Olivia Street.

There are a couple of things a new owner might do to tweak this place just a bit. They include replacement of the older aluminum windows, replacement of window unit air conditioners with a mini-split system, and refine the garden area. There is not room for a pool. You could add a hot tub or maybe create a koi pond or add some other water feature on the back side of the property.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet and more listing photos. (Photos used by permission of Doug Mayberry Real Estate.) Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to arrange a private showing of this home. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West. Let me help you find your place in Paradise.

Gary Thomas in a Nutshell

I first read about Key West in a magazine called "After Dark" sometime in the mid 1970's. But it wasn't until March 1984 that I made my first visit to the island that would become my home.
I had two weeks for a vacation and reserved a room at Colours Guesthouse (now Marrero's Guest House) for one week. I thought that if I didn't like Key West, I could always go back to Miami or Ft. Lauderdale for the rest of my trip.
But after a couple of days in Key West, that was no longer a consideration. But when I wanted to extend my stay for the extra week I found there was no room at the inn. The guesthouse owner did find me a room at LaTeDa, the infamous guesthouse/restaurant. That's a story I'll write another day. But those two weeks in Key West gave me the realization that I had found Paradise.
Key West has been my home since 1993 and my only regret is that it took me so long to get here.
I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties CRI.
Let me help you find your new home or business in Paradise. Living in Paradise is not a slogan, it's a way of life.